MapQuest vs OpenStreetMap

Struggling to choose between MapQuest and OpenStreetMap? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

MapQuest is a Travel & Location solution with tags like maps, directions, traffic, route-planning.

It boasts features such as Interactive maps, Driving directions, Traffic information, Route planning, POI search, Street view, Aerial imagery, Reverse geocoding, Customizable maps, Mobile apps, Navigation, Real-time traffic, Gas prices, Roadside assistance and pros including Free to use, No subscription required, Good coverage in North America, Easy to use interface, Mobile apps available, Real-time traffic information, Gas prices along route, Roadside assistance integration.

On the other hand, OpenStreetMap is a Travel & Location product tagged with open-source, crowdsourced, map, navigation.

Its standout features include Crowd-sourced map data, Open data licensed under ODbL, Worldwide geographic data, Ability to edit and update data, Variety of data types like roads, buildings, points of interest, Customizable map rendering, and it shines with pros like Free to use and open source, Frequent data updates from large volunteer community, Very detailed maps, especially in urban areas, Data can be downloaded for use in other projects, Active local mapping communities.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

MapQuest

MapQuest

MapQuest is a free online mapping service that provides driving directions, traffic information, route planning, and interactive maps. It competes with Google Maps and Bing Maps.

Categories:
maps directions traffic route-planning

MapQuest Features

  1. Interactive maps
  2. Driving directions
  3. Traffic information
  4. Route planning
  5. POI search
  6. Street view
  7. Aerial imagery
  8. Reverse geocoding
  9. Customizable maps
  10. Mobile apps
  11. Navigation
  12. Real-time traffic
  13. Gas prices
  14. Roadside assistance

Pricing

  • Free

Pros

Free to use

No subscription required

Good coverage in North America

Easy to use interface

Mobile apps available

Real-time traffic information

Gas prices along route

Roadside assistance integration

Cons

Limited international coverage

No public transit directions

Less accurate than competitors

Dated interface

Limited customization options

No offline maps or navigation


OpenStreetMap

OpenStreetMap

OpenStreetMap is a free, open-source, crowd-sourced map of the world. Volunteers collect map data using GPS devices, aerial imagery, local knowledge, and other free sources to create and update the map database.

Categories:
open-source crowdsourced map navigation

OpenStreetMap Features

  1. Crowd-sourced map data
  2. Open data licensed under ODbL
  3. Worldwide geographic data
  4. Ability to edit and update data
  5. Variety of data types like roads, buildings, points of interest
  6. Customizable map rendering

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Free to use and open source

Frequent data updates from large volunteer community

Very detailed maps, especially in urban areas

Data can be downloaded for use in other projects

Active local mapping communities

Cons

Data quality varies by region

Limited coverage in rural/unmapped areas

Less specialized than commercial alternatives

Relies on volunteers for updates so some areas may be outdated

Limited quality control over edits